The Tension of Opposites

Picture courtesy of Randomhouse.

An exchange between Mitch and Morrie:

“Have I told you about the tension of opposites?” he says.

The tension of opposites?

“Life is a series of pulls back and forth. You want to do one thing, but you are bound to do something else. Something hurts you, yet you know it shouldn’t. You take certain things for granted, even when you know you should never take anything for granted.

“A tension of opposites, like a pull on a rubber band. And most of us live somewhere in the middle.”

Sounds like a wrestling match, I say.

“A wrestling match.” He laughs. “Yes, you could describe life that way.”

So, which side wins? I ask.

“Which side wins?”

He smiles at me, the crinkled eyes, the crooked teeth.

“Love wins. Love always wins.”

That was Morrie Schwartz, Mitch Albom’s professor, an old man afflicted with the brutal and unforgiving ALS or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Lou Gehrig’s disease. It is ‘a disease of the neurological system that is like a lit candle: it melts your nerves and leaves your body a pile of wax’.

Going back to the tension of opposites – Morrie had me thinking when I was reading Tuesdays with Morrie about the truth on his train of thoughts. I realized that truly we have to deal with life’s positivity and negativity. Sometimes we are caught in between. Simply, it is like choosing to or not to eat your chocolate sundae when you’re hungry. It is like talking to one person you hate when the resolution of a problem depends on him because he is the boss. It is like helping someone who had wronged you but he is your brother.

And he said love always wins. I agree. When you love yourself, you would not choose eating chocolate sundae especially when you are diabetic. You would not defy your boss when you love your work. And when you love God and you wanted to praise him of the good and the righteous things you do, you would forgive your brother who had wronged you. Makes sense to me.